A high-powered team led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday met the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) officials to brief them on Pakistan’s stance in the wake of the recent conflict with India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack.
The high-level team — consisting of three former foreign ministers, two former foreign secretaries, two former ambassadors to the US, and a serving federal minister — arrived in New York on Sunday for consultations at the United Nations.
The delegation will also visit Washington DC, London and Brussels.
Ex-FMs PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir; Senators Sherry Rehman, Musadik Malik, Faisal Sabzwari and Bushra Anjum Butt; and Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua are members of the first delegation.
According to a press release, Bilawal, while addressing the OIC Permanent Representatives, “categorically rejected India’s attempt to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident without any credible investigation or evidence”.
He highlighted that the blame was “used as a pretext for unlawful military actions, including cross-border strikes, which targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure”.
The PPP chairman expressed concern at India’s move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, which Pakistan considered “a blatant act of weaponising water and a violation of international and treaty obligations”.
“He [Bilawal] made it plainly clear that we cannot allow this to become a new normal,” the statement read.
It continued that the PPP chairman stressed that “due to India’s belligerent aggression, the world has become a less safe place, with real and present implications for peace and security in South Asia”.
The former foreign minister went on to thank the OIC for its efforts and role aimed at mediation to deescalate tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, highlighting that the “only path to peace is dialogue, engagement and diplomacy”.
“He [Bilawal] reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace, restraint, and diplomacy, and called for the restoration of the Indus Waters Treaty, full respect for the ceasefire, and the resumption of a comprehensive dialogue with India, with the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute at its core,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the permanent representatives of the OIC countries expressed their “appreciation for Pakistan’s transparent and timely briefing and reaffirmed their solidarity with Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir”.
“They reiterated their concern over worsening security situation in South Asia and stressed the importance of upholding the principles of the UN Charter and international law and in this regard, the sanctity of treaties, including the Indus Water Treaty,” the statement added.
The delegation also held a meeting with United Nations Security Council president for the month of June, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, the permanent representative of the Republic of Guyana.
The delegation emphasised that in the face of a growing trend of unilateralism and escalation, the UNSC must play its crucial role to ensure peace and conflict resolution.
It urged the UNSC to play a proactive role in promoting de-escalation, ensuring respect for international law and treaties and facilitating peaceful resolution of the disputes, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the Council’s resolutions.
Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to upholding international peace and security in line with its mandate.
Earlier, the nine-member Pakistani delegation held a series of meetings at the UN Headquarters. They engaged with envoys of the Security Council’s permanent members, beginning with China’s Ambassador Fu Cong.
